MARCH 8, 1937

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Sunday—We arrived early Saturday morning in New Orleans to be met by Mr. Warren Miller, Director
of the Spring Fiesta and Mrs. Joseph Haspel who whisked us away in her car to the
Hotel Roosevelt.

On the train Saturday morning at about seven-twenty, a very sweet young girl, a reporter
on one of the newspapers asked to see me, and I discovered that what she wanted was
to do a sketch of me, a somewhat difficult job, I should think on the swaying platform
of a train, but we stood there for a few minutes while she sketched and told me she
had just spent the better part of a day with my friend, Mrs. William Brown Meloney,
editor of "This Week" when she was in New Orleans. I decided that regardless of what
she did, it would be no worse than many of the photographs taken during the day and
I was later told she had made a charming sketch but no one suggested that it was a
good likeness!

I have been recalling my first visit here in 1913 and occasional short trips since
then and I wish we had had more time for sightseeing. We saw the Governor and Mrs. Leche; the Mayor and some of the other government officials
for a few minutes in the morning and then went off for a glimpse of the old quarter
of the town.

There is no place that I know of in the world where the iron work is more attractive
on balconies or in gates than in the old French quarter of New Orleans, and I love
the old doors and the entrances into the little court yards. French and Spanish influence
seems to lead to more privacy of living than we can boast of even in our modern homes.
Many of the stories about the people who lived in this French quarter are picturesque
and romantic today and one almost forgets the tragedy and pain which must have gone
into the actual living.

If I had only had time to wander into some of the antique shops which looked fascinating
from the outside, I should probably have come away poorer than I arrived, however,
time did not permit us to do any shopping or even to stop and eat in some of the attractive
and quaint restaurants. I was bemoaning the fact that Mrs. Scheider would have no
opportunity to sample New Orleans cooking but I spoke too soon. After the afternoon
speech Governor and Mrs. Leche drove us to Baton Rouge, and we had a dinner with them
which was not only delicious but the dishes looked so attractive and interesting that
even the most jaded appetite could not have resisted them!

Louisiana has strange contrasts, the old and the new are in close juxtaposition. Nothing could be more modern and visibly progressive than the State University and
the new Capitol. I saw these by day light and returned in the evening to speak at
the University.

At midnight we were on the train, got off this morning in Houston, had our breakfast,
and are now in Huntsville after a very easy drive of seventy odd miles.

Source Note:
Transcription created from a photocopy of a draft version of a My Day column instance
archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
My Day column draft dated March 7, 1937, FDR Library, Hyde Park, NY
TMsd, 7 March 1937, AERP, FDRL